Closed porous chambers for implanting tissue in a host

Abstract

Improved Implant assemblies and methodologies provide immuno-protection for implanted allografts, xenografts, and isografts. The assemblies and methodologies establish an improved chamber for holding the implanted cells. The chambers include first and second wall elements and an intermediate sealing element. The first and second wall elements overlie an open area in the sealing member to form a chamber for holding cells for implantation. A sealed region is created between the wall elements and the sealing element body to close the chamber. In one arrangement, the sealed region is created by means of a sonic weld made while the implanted cells are present in the chamber. In another arrangement, the sealed region is created by means of applying an external force to compress the peripheral edges of the wall elements and the sealing element together while the implanted cells are present in the chamber.

We claim: 
     
       1. A chamber and cells for implanting into host tissue comprising a first and second wall elements, each having a peripheral edge,   a quantity of living cells intended for implantation in host tissue,   a sealing element having a body peripherally surrounding an open area, the sealing element being located between the first and second wall elements with the sealing element body sandwiched between the peripheral edges of the first and second wall elements and the first and second wall elements jointly overlying the open area of the sealing member to form a chamber for holding the living cells,   means for creating a sealed region between the peripheral edges of the wall elements and the sealing element body to close the chamber comprising a sonic weld made while the implanted cells are present in the chamber, and   both the first and second wall elements together with the sealed region isolating the living cells within the chamber from an immune response of the host tissue, at least one of the first and second wall elements being sufficiently permeable to nutrients for transferring the nutrients from host tissue through the at least one wall element to the living cells present within the chamber.